Minister of Local Government and Community Development, Hon. Desmond McKenzie, says the Government will implement tighter measures for funerals if citizens continue to disregard the safety protocols for the staging of these events. The current protocols stipulate that there should be no more than 50 persons at a funeral, depending on the square footage of the church, and no more...

Minister of Local Government and Community Development, Hon. Desmond McKenzie (centre) applauds as Raheem Powell holds the key to his new home at Watson Grove in Bridgeport, St. Catherine, which was handed over during a ceremony on Friday (July 24). Sharing the moment (from left) are Raheem’s mother, Ann-Marie Douglas; Mayor of Portmore, Councillor Leon Thomas; and Minister of State...

The Government is acquiring 30 pumpers for the Jamaica Fire Brigade (JFB) at a cost of $3 billion. Minister of Local Government and Community Development, Hon. Desmond McKenzie, who has portfolio responsibility for the JFB, says the first 16 units are slated to arrive next March, with the remainder expected by May. Additionally, the Minister said the JFB has been...

Local Government Minister, Hon. Desmond McKenzie, says Emancipation Park in St. Andrew has reopened to the public. Parks were among venues allowed to reopen for an initial period of two weeks, beginning June 15. However, Emancipation Park had remained closed. “I spoke with the Managing Director of the National Housing Trust (NHT), which operates Emancipation Park, and the… management wanted...

Minister of Local Government and Community Development, Hon. Desmond McKenzie, says citizens who refuse to wear masks in public could soon face prosecution under the Disaster Risk Management Act. In April of this year, the Government announced the mandatory wearing of masks in public spaces as part of measures to contain transmission of the coronavirus (COVID-19). Wearing the protective device...

The Government’s three-year LED streetlights installation programme, being implemented by the Jamaica Public Service Company (JPS), is expected to be completed by the end of the 2020/21 fiscal year. Local Government and Community Development Minister, Hon. Desmond McKenzie, says approximately 65 per cent of the overall target of 105,000 lights have been installed since the programme’s commencement in the 2017/18...

Minister of Local Government and Community Development, Hon. Desmond McKenzie, says work to build and renovate several markets islandwide is at varying stages of completion. He provided an update during his 2020/21 Sectoral Debate presentation in the House of Representatives on Tuesday (July 21), under the theme ‘Building National Resilience through Continuous Investment in Local Government’. Mr. McKenzie advised that...

A total of 5,000 persons will be facilitated under this year’s renewal of the Government’s National Youth Summer Employment Programme (NYSEP), slated for August. This was disclosed by Minister of Local Government and Community Development, Hon. Desmond McKenzie, who indicated that the number represents an increase of 1,000 persons over the number of participants last year. He was making his...

Minister of Local Government and Community Development, Hon. Desmond McKenzie, says he has asked the Commissioner of Police to investigate and take the necessary actions against the operators of the Reggae Mill Restaurant and Bar for continued breaches of the Disaster Risk Management Orders. Reggae Mill, located at Devon House in St. Andrew, was earlier this month ordered closed for...